THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, October 2, 1996 TAG: 9610020752
SECTION: MILITARY NEWS PAGE: A12 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
LENGTH: 48 lines
Weeks before his June death, Adm. Jeremy ``Mike'' Boorda agreed to accept an honorary award and attend the ball at which it would be presented.
Now his son, Navy Lt. Cmdr. Bob Boorda, will accept the honor on his father's behalf.
The late chief of naval operations, who committed suicide in May, will posthumously receive the rate of chief petty officer from the National Chief Petty Officer's Association at the Navy's birthday ball Oct. 12.
Boorda is the only Navy enlisted man to rise from seaman to chief of naval operations. A four-star admiral when he died, he held every enlisted rate with the exception of ``chief.''
He joined the Navy in 1956, at 16, and spent six years as an enlisted man before he was selected for Officer Candidate School.
Boorda had often commented, the association says, that one of the biggest regrets of his career was that he had not served in the chief's rate.
``And he said he had never even gotten the honorary rank, so he was planning to accept ours,'' said retired Chief Helen Oswald, director for the Virginia chiefs' association.
Plans call for the honorary chief's award to be placed permanently on display at the Navy Memorial in Washington, D.C.
The banquet and ball, which will take place at Norfolk's Lake Wright Resort, are being co-sponsored by the 300-member Hampton Roads Chief Petty Officers Association and the 35-member Bobby Scott's National CPO Quarters of Virginia, a group that was just formed in 1994.
The National Chief Petty Officers Association was established in 1988. Its purpose is to emphasize the importance of the chief's rate in the Navy and Coast Guard. Other goals include recognition of chiefs' achievements and education incentives for present and future chiefs.
The younger Boorda works for the chief of naval personnel for flag matters in Washington, D.C.
He declined to comment on the award this week, beyond saying that he would speak briefly at the presentation. MEMO: The banquet and ball are open to all active duty, retiree and
reserve Navy and Coast Guard chief petty officers. The coast is $25 per
person. For tickets call Senior Chief Ron Jones, president of the Bobby
Scott Quarters, at 444-7561, or 463-5546. Dress is service dress blues,
or appropriate civilian attire. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by CNB